


One Perfect Rose

by Toshi_Nama



Category: Dragon Age - All Media Types
Genre: F/M, Fluff, Gift Fic, Gift Giving, Presents, Romantic Fluff, Roses, Tooth-Rotting Fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-31
Updated: 2020-12-31
Packaged: 2021-03-10 22:14:45
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 818
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28460736
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Toshi_Nama/pseuds/Toshi_Nama
Summary: Maeryn Cousland-Theirin, Queen of Ferelden, knew Alistair loved her. He proved it every day, even as they ran the kingdom. What shedidn'tknow is where he happened to keep running off to...Until she found him.
Relationships: Alistair/Female Cousland (Dragon Age)
Comments: 5
Kudos: 24





	One Perfect Rose

**Author's Note:**

  * For [hurdlelocker](https://archiveofourown.org/users/hurdlelocker/gifts).



Maeryn was not having a good day. No, she decided, it was more like not having a good couple of weeks, now. “Where is my husband?”

The senechal blanched. This time, she’d cornered him where there were no nobles to distract him, no pile of paperwork to have her address, no events to plan. This time, she was going to get answers. They’d been in the Palace almost a year, and Alistair had  _ never  _ disappeared on her like this.

“He’s not in the kitchens, he’s not on the practice ground, he’s not in the suite or the library, and we both know he’s not in the throne room unless he needs to be. Don’t we?”

“I...well, yes, Your Majesty. But don’t you think-”

“Where. Is. He.”

Trapped, the man still stood his ground. “I’m sorry, I couldn’t say. Isn’t your brother in Denerim? I’d heard he’d just arrived.”

Couldn’t, or wouldn’t? Maeryn still couldn’t tell, though he’d been an amazing aide sent from Arl Eamon. She shook her head. “No, and you know he’s not due until tomorrow. Oh, just -”

He fled, leaving her standing alone in the hallway, in the least fine outfit she had in her wardrobes, and really wanting to fix the first part of that. Something was up, she decided. It wasn’t like Alistair to hide, and he showed up joking and laughing every evening. There was just this...blank space in the middle of the day where he vanished into thin air.

Was it that he had a hobby he was afraid she’d judge him for? But she wouldn’t. She loved him, and he loved her, and they were partners. Or did he have something...no, the new litters weren’t due for another week or two at least, so it couldn’t be that…

She started wandering herself, enjoying the polite way everyone ignored her because she was in ‘normal’ clothes rather than court clothes. She’d find him, or she’d find the kennels and curl up in the pile of fur and tongues that always made her giggle. She’d  _ rather  _ find Alistair, though.

Eventually, Maeryn found herself looking at the hall to a tiny side wing. It wasn’t far from the royal suites, but she couldn’t recall anything down here. Was it for visiting dignitaries, maybe? She let curiosity get the better of her since her afternoon was free, and started down the echoing corridor. It wasn’t spooky, just quiet. The doors were all well-oiled, she figured out when she tested one, and led to a small suite. Guest quarters, then, for something like the Landsmeet. Or family of the monarchs, given where it was? That might make sense. The furniture was all covered in cloth, waiting to be needed.

This was fun, actually. It would be  _ better  _ if she had someone to explore with, but maybe she could suggest it? Yes, that would be nice.

Four doors later was one that clearly  _ wasn’t  _ to another suite, because the two halves were much too wide for a simple suite. A double door? She wasn’t wearing a coat, but she was also used to the chill. Plus, she liked outside, and the way the crisp air caught in her lungs. Maybe she could take a peek at this little snow-covered courtyard, and see…

She could even make a garden, if she wanted to.

Maeryn grinned, then pulled both doors open and stepped through.

She made it exactly two steps before her mind caught up with what she was seeing, and froze. Of course, the doors kept swinging closed, smacking her from behind. She yelped, and the man in the center turned.

“Excuse-oh. Oh.”

She stared at her missing husband.

Here was where Alistair had been, she realized. Somehow he’d smuggled in glass, enough to cover the entire tiny garden, and then he’d planted...he’d…

“You did this.”

One side of his mouth rose in a hopeful smirk, his eyes glowing. “Yes. Well, except for putting up the glass, and bringing in all the dirt, and I needed some help with making sure the paths were all set up, but-”

But in every way that mattered, he’d done this. This. Maeryn didn’t resist when Alistair came up and kissed her temple, or when he took her hand in his dirt-covered ones to pull her further along the path.

“They aren’t blooming yet, but they will.”

Roses. He’d made an entire courtyard full of roses. For her.

A peek of color caught her eye, and she stopped him with a grin. “I think you’re lying.”

“What? No! No, I’d wanted to surprise you, but they take longer to grow in the winter, even with the greenhouse.”

She pointed, and he stopped to look.

One single, solitary rose had started to bloom, showing petals of deep crimson.

“It’s perfect,” she breathed.

He pulled her close, and she leaned in for the kiss. 

“Just like you, my love.”


End file.
